Projectile



0.2,194 5.- w. N. MCGEE 1' 2,386,054

PROJECTILE Filed April 16. 1942 NTOR iNVE 6 WILL/4M NJ GEE ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 2, 1945 UNIT EDv ES ear orator:

2,386,054 PROJEO'rmE,

William NaMcGee, Seattle,- Wash. Application,-'April'16, 1942/, Serial No. 4129,5169v (c1.-1o2' s) This invention relates to. improvements in pro.- jectiles and ithas referenceparticularly to.- projeotiles of those kinds or types designed to be fired from guns, both of largeand of small caliber; it being the-principal. objectof the invention .to providea projectile of an improved twopiece: construction, whereby greater and sustaining velocity of the main body of theprojectile is made possible and its penetrating ability thereby increased accordingly,

More specifically stated; the objects and advantages of the present invention reside in the provision of a prOjectiIecQmpriSinga main body portion of novel form and equipped witha base 'sectionthat facilitates-the firing of the projectile but is immediately separable-therefrom upon leavingthe gun; the said main body portion be ingof an elongated cylindrical nature, tapered both at its forward and rearward ends, and formed with an open axial borewhereby compression. or condensation of air at the. nose of the projectile in flight is relieved and through which: bore air is caused-toflow-to relieve any vacuum. that might be. createdat the base of. the projectile, thereby making possible. the greater distance of flight, the greater velocity, and the consequent. reater facilityfor. penetration;

Still further objects of the present invention reside inthenovel details-of construction of the base section of the projectile; this being .,socketed ripheral sealing band designed to effect a tight gas seal with the gun barrel thus to insure the maximum results from the firing charge.

Still further objects of the invention are to be found in the details of construction of the base portion and main body of the projectile, and in their combination, as will hereinafter be fully described.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein- Fig. 1 is a side view of a projectile embodied by the present invention.

Fig. 2 isa longitudinal sectional view of ;the projectile, showingrthe main-body-portion and'the base portion separated from; each other: for purpose of better-illustration.

Fig. 3; is a longitudinal, sectional, view. ,of, a cartridge equipped with a, projectile; embodied by and, in" accordance with details of. the-present in.- vention.

Fig. 4 i a cross sectional view, on the lined-+4 in Fig. 2..

Referring more .in detail to the drawing-.

In Figs. 1 and 2, I haveillustrated thepr'esent type-of pro-jectile-in-its present preferred design for, use. in the ordinary. types. of. large caliber guns, such as'those in .which the firing 1 charge is ordinarily separatedfrom the. projectile. In Fig. 3, the projectile has been illustrated .asapplied' to a cartridge. or'shell which contains also a firing charge adaptedto be ignited ;by..-a; cap

that is arranged in the baseof. thecartridge-and Formed lengthwise.- of= andalsotcoaxialof the main body, I ;of the. projectile,. is abore areassage 3, of substantial diameter, and, as will be noted by reference to Fig. 2, the outside surfaces of the tapered end portions of the body merge into this bore in a thin edge. As herein indicated, the diameter of the bore is uniform, and is equal approximately to one-fifth the diameter of the shell body at its larger or medial portion, but the relationship might be varied somewhat without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is desired, however, that a short length of the bore, at the nose or forward end of the projectile, be just slightly flared, as indicated at 5, in order to insure. greater flow of air through the bore from the forward to the rearward end of the projectile to break or prevent vacuum at the rearward end.

By reference to Fig. 3, in particular, it will be noted that the length of the tapered portions, both at the forward and rearward end of the projectile, extend through about one-third the length of the projectile and the middle third of the projectile is uniformly cylindrical.

Formed about the medial portion of the projectile are two or more spaced rings 88 of barrel.

relatively soft metal. These are countersunk is formed with a flat rear end surface, and its,

forward end portion is formed with a tapered socket 9 corresponding to the shape of the tapered rear end portion of the projectile and adapted to seat the latter therein in a snug fit,

with the rear end portion of the projectile rest-- ing solidly against the flat base surface ll of the socket.

The side walls of the base portion 2 of the projectile are encased in a lining sleeve l2 of relatively soft metal. Also, the rear end surface is likewise faced with a sheet of soft metal indicated at 13. A rearwardly directed flange portion [4 is formed about the peripheral portion of the rear end surface of the base member, and this flange is designed to fit snugly against the bore of the gun barrel in such manner that when a firing charge is exploded, its force will cause the flange M to expand, thus to effect a tight, gas-sealed fit against the gun Also, the soft metal of the flange and sleeve l2 will embed the riflings of the barrel therein to cause the base portion 2 to rotate with vthe projectile body as it leaves the gun barrel.

The projectile, as illustrated in Fig. 3, is like that of Fig. 1 except that it is shown as being fitted in a cartridge, or shell l5. The side or cylindricalwall portions of the cartridge are clinched at their forward edges into an annular groove N5 of the projectile body to hold the parts properly assembled.

The firing charge 20 is illustrated in Fig, 3 as being contained within the cartridge between the base portion of the projectile and the base portion of the cartridge, and there is a firing cap in the base of the latter.

Assuming the projectile to be so constructed,

it be used in a gun of large caliber or of smaller caliber such as a rifle, its action and function will be the same. Immediately upon the exploding of the firing charge, the entire projectile will be forced within the gun barrel under the driving influence of the firing charge, the soft metal flange on the base of the projectile base will be expanded against the surface of the gun barrel to form the gas-tight seal. The soft metal rings of the projectile body and the soft metal lining of the projectile base will engage the rflings of the barrel to cause the spinning of the projectile in flight. However, as soon as the projectile has left the gun barrel, the

projectile body I will free itself from the base portion 2 by reason of the air pressure against. the base, and immediately the projectile body will leave the base portion by reason of the lesser resistance of air thereto. Where ordinarily there would be great pressure of air at the nose of the projectile, this will now be relieved through the axial bore, and will flow to'the rear of the projectile, and there will relieve the vacuu'm that might otherwise be produced. It is apparent that the relief of vacuum at the rear of the projectile and the relief of condensation at the nose will result in greater velocity and thus make possible greater penetrating ability, which is much desired in present-day warfare.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by' 7 Letters Patent is:

A projectile of the character described comprising a base portion and a main projectile body; said body .being formed about its medial portion with soft metal bands to engage the riflings of the gun barrel and having an open axial bore of substantial diameter therethrough for relief of air pressure at the nose and reduction of vacuum at the rear end of the projectile in flight, and having its forward and rearward end portions tapered to merge with the bore in sharp edges; said base portion of the projectile being of cylindrical form and of the diameter of the main body and formed with a socket in which the rear end of the projectile body is fitted, and having an encasing lining of soft metal of the diameter of the soft metal bands and said lining forming a rearwardly extending expandible peripheral flange.

WILLIAM N. MoGEE. 

